


Cogs and Kids

by Habato



Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Clockwork is Danny's babysitter basically, Gen, Guardian-Ward Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-01
Updated: 2019-02-28
Packaged: 2019-11-07 07:12:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17955959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Habato/pseuds/Habato
Summary: Little Danny Fenton, five years old, doesn’t know just how much of his life is going to involve ghosts. I mean, his parents are ghost hunters, but it gets even worse than that. When he falls through a random natural ghost portal while playing at the park, he becomes even more immersed in the world than even his parents, and he’s not going to be leaving any time soon. At least he’s got the best mentor to guide him through his adventures. After all, who could be better than the Master of Time?





	Cogs and Kids

**Author's Note:**

> Transfering this from my Tumblr. There's only one chapter there, and I'll be working on posting more here. This is my first upload on ao3 actually! Hope you like it!

It was a sunny, sublime, serene day at the green central park in Amity Park. People dotted the luscious grass, enjoying the sunshine as their children played in the playground- or the pond, or the field, or the trees, as the case may be. This was the case of the Fenton’s, who had half came to enjoy the day, and half to do studies.

“Catch anything on the radar, Mads?”

“Nothing yet… but I’m sure it was in this area, I saw it just yesterday.”

Danny Fenton, all grown up at five years old, had soon learned that asking questions or trying to decipher what his parents said led to nothing but lectures and headaches. So, he ignored them, and played by himself. He would have been playing with his best friend, Tucker, but he was at his grandmother’s in another state; his sister was here, but she was reading some big book at the nearest picnic table, and already told him twice that she ‘didn’t have time for games today’. So, he was alone.

Enjoying the free reign this gave him, Danny decided to explore the park. It was huge, and they almost never came to the same spot twice. Like now- instead of sitting by the pond like last time, they had come to sit beneath the edge of a copse of trees. It was a veritable forest for a five year old. A perfect place for an adventure.  
Danny happily climbed and crawled his way over huge tree roots, dense nettles, and bushy shrubs. Sometimes he pretended he was chasing someone, sometimes being chased, and sometimes looking for something- a hiding place once, a scary creature another time. During one short scene where he was being chased by the King’s hounds- the scary doggies, he learned recently- he remembered dogs couldn’t climb, and hopped up one of the shorter trees, small hands finding purchase easily. The adrenaline from the imagination fueled him up high, high enough to outrun the dogs.  
And, when he decided to stop pretending, high enough to get stuck.

He stood on one of the branches, looking down at the enormous drop to the forest floor. There was a bush, but it looked all prickly- and he might just fall through. But he needed to get down- this branch was weak, and the one above him clutched in his little fist was even more so. He couldn’t drop to the last branch he had been on- it was far away, and he had had to jump to reach this one. If he tried again, he could miss the branch, or even land it between his feet. The little boy knew just enough to know that that option would hurt more than just falling, in all likelihood. But he couldn’t just jump…

Just as Danny opened his mouth to shout for his parents, there was the sound of rushing air, a sucking sound, then almost a crack.

Startled, Danny shifted- but his feet misstepped onto thin air, and with a yelp of surprise, he fell, the branch in his hand snapping without hesitation.

There was a rip as he fell, and just as he closed his eyes and waited to hit earth, he stopped with a rush of cold air. He still didn’t open his eyes.

Five more seconds. Nothing.

Danny peeked an eye open.

He wasn’t in the park anymore. And he wasn’t falling either.

The sky all around him was green, deep green, almost black. Instead of white clouds, there seemed to be swathes of fog drifting sporadically through the air, lazily but unpredictable, swirling at random. He was floating in this expanse, and as he looked down he landed softly on a stretch of rock that seemed to be floating in place in this green sea.

He carefully stood up, feeling lighter than normal- like he could give a good jump, and-

“Whoah!” Danny gasped, accidentally propelling himself across the rock with a thoughtless hop. He floated up, over the rock, gently setting back down. Gravity didn’t hold him like before. It…

“It’s just like the space videos!” He whispered delightfully, turning around. With a giggle, he tried something, a strange stiff-legged waddle he had seen astronauts do. It worked, quickly getting him back to his starting point without liftoff- but where was the fun in that?

Danny whooped and jumped back across the rock, any thought of being lost not even making an appearance in his head.

“I’m an astronaut!” He cried, jumping back and forth over the rock, twisting in the air and unable to stop smiling. He continued like this for a while, trying different ways to propel himself.

He had just tried jumping backwards when his back collided with something. He froze as shadowy arms wrapped around his torso, and held him there. Looking up, he saw a woman’s face, smiling down at him with sharp black features and glowing red eyes. Danny’s smile disappeared.

“Hello there!’ the shadow-woman crooned, voice and smile sickly-sweet. “What’s an adorable little tyke like you doing in the Ghost Zone?’

Stone weights dropped into Danny’s stomach. “G-g-ghost-” he whimpered. “Y-y-you- you're a-”

A green face appeared in front of his own, all sharp teeth and red eyes and unnerving smiles. “Aw, look at what you did, Spectra! Poor kid can’t even talk.” The blob sounded like a boy, and gestured to Danny with hands tipped with claws. “He’s already lost forever, do you gotta scare him too?”

“Lost?!” Danny squeaked. “Forever?!”

“Oh, you’re right Bertrand,” Spectra cooed, turning Danny around in her arms and holding him like a baby. She smiled down at him and stroked his hair. “Poor little human is never gonna get home now, we gotta be nice.”

“What- wha-” Danny stuttered again, shaking his head to try to get her to stop touching him. “I- I- I can get home! M-m-my mom- and and Dad- they’ll-”

“Oh, sweetie, your parents can’t do anything! You’ll never leave here ever again!”

The overly-happy tone only made Danny feel more lost. He thrashed in her arms, tears welling up and spilling over.

“No! No, get away from me! My mommy and daddy will beat you up 'cuz they’re the best hunters ever and they’re gonna come get me and I’m not stuck let me go let me go-!”

“What?!” Bertrand interrupted as Spectra slapped a hand over Danny’s mouth, scowling as she struggled to hold the thrashing boy. “He’s a hunter’s kid?! Shit, Spectra, maybe he’s right, let him go-”

Spectra paused just long enough to shoot him an energized grin. “Like hell I’m letting him go! Can you smell that? He’s terrified out of his mind! All that pain, all that hopelessness-” She laughed, wrapping her arms tighter around Danny, making him immobile as she pressed her face against the side of his.”One thing I’ve learned, kids really are just the sweetest little things. Won’t he be just a delicious snack?” Danny let out a terrified whine from beneath her hand, struggling for a moment.

Bertrand looked unsure. “I bet he would be- as a last meal. Spectra, if hunters found out we hurt their kid, we’d be out like a light. We oughta just leave him.”

Spectra pouted, and Bertrand just crossed his arms.

“I have to agree with your companion here,” All three of them jumped as Spectra and Bertrand turned to the newcomer. “You should let the child go, Spectra.”

“You!” Spectra hissed, turning to half-hide Danny in her arms. “What- What are you doing here?! Doing more of the Council’s dirty work? What would any of you want with this kid?”

He glared at her. “That is none of your concern. Leave the boy.”

“I found him fair and square!”

“Spectra…” Bertrand glanced worriedly between the two of them, laying a hand on

Spectra’s shoulder. “Just leave the brat, he’s not worth fighting him over. Come on, let’s just go! Let them kill him, or put the kid in chains, whatever!”

Spectra glared down at Bertrand, then looked at Danny’s ever-paling face, streaked with tears. She breathed in his pain, fear, hopelessness- then flung him to the ground in between the two parties, making Danny cry out in pain.

“Fine! Take the damn kid! Kill him, or enslave him, or whatever the hell you do with humans, I don’t care!” With that Spectra flew off in a storm of fury, Bertrand fearfully following after, sending furtive glances behind them as they fled.

Danny was laying on the ground, curled up in a tight ball and trying to make the endless stream of tears and hiccups stop. They wouldn’t. So he sat there fearfully, the shadow-woman’s words ringing in his ears, waiting for the other ghost to- to-

“Kill-"

“-enslave-”

“Whatever you do with humans!”

Danny was shaking so hard he couldn’t tell the difference between the tremors and the hiccups and his own ragged breathing. He didn’t want to die. He didn't want to never see his family again. He just wanted to go home.

Everything got worse when he heard the ruffle of fabric and half felt, half saw the shadow fall over him. He tried to cry out, say something, but all that came was choked whimpers. He couldn’t even scream for his Mommy and Daddy.

Just as he was sure that- he’d be killed, chained, tortured, something- a large, gentle hand rested on his back, and a low voice quietly talked, calm and kind.

“Sh, it’s alright little one,” he said. “I’m not going to hurt you. Do not listen to her, she was only trying to scare you. You can sit up if you want.”

Danny only shook his head, squeezing into himself tightly. This must be a trick. A trap. Mommy and Daddy said ghost were evil. This was a ghost. Ghosts weren’t nice.

He heard the ghost sigh. “I’m not lying, little one. I want to help you get home.”

“I-I-I w-want m-my M-m-mommy...”

Another sigh. “I’ll do my best to return you to her. But you need to calm yourself. Will you sit up for me?” Danny shook his head. “...If you do not sit up, I will just have to pick you up, little one.”

Danny stiffened, hesitating. Then, slowly, he tilted his head up to look at the ghost. He smiled kindly, but Danny felt it was ruined a little by the blue skin, and the red eyes, and the- the scar. Not to mention, as he looked at the ghost covered in a large, purple cloak, he noticed the glass case sticking out of his chest. That wasn’t normal either...then again, this was a ghost. But how could you live having a big wood box stuck in your chest!? Danny whimpered again and scooted away, watching as the smile fell and the ghost looked almost… sad?

“I promised, little one. I do not break my promises. You will not be hurt in my presence, alright?” He held a gloved hand out, palm up, trying to smile again.

“P-pre-presence?” Danny asked quietly. “Like- like gifts?”

The ghost chuckled. “No, I meant when you’re around me, I will make sure you are not hurt. Presence is being around someone or something.”

“Oh…” Danny hesitated, looking at the hand. He rolled onto his butt, scooting back again with his feet. “M-mommy told me not t-to trust g-gh-ghosts…”

The ghost got that look again- that sad, disappointed look. “Well… I’m not untrustworthy like some are. Like those two that just left. Is there anything I can do to get your trust?”

Danny glanced around, then shrugged, shaking his head. “I… I dunno…”

“Well…” The ghost hummed. “I suppose I could introduce myself, if that would help. My name is Clockwork, little one. What is yours?”

“D-Danny,” he stuttered out. “Danny Fenton… M-my parents are r-really scary ghost hunters so- so y-you better not…” Danny drifted off, biting his lip.

Clockwork smiled and shook his head. “Oh, I know who your parents are, Danny. Most ghosts do. It is not wise to get on a hunter’s bad side when you are a ghost. In fact, does that not give me reason to help you?” He held out his hand again.

“Uh… I … I guess so?” Danny looked at the hand, then back up at him.

“Right. If you come with me Danny, I can help you get back home, if you want?” Danny nodded vigorously, making Clockwork laugh. “Come along, then.”

Hesitantly, Danny put his small hand in Clockwork’s, who floated up and pulled him up to stand alongside him. It was now that Danny noticed that he didn’t have legs- neither had those other two ghosts, but that hadn’t really been his focus at the time. But now, Danny had a moment to stare in awe at the vaporous, flowing blue tail Clockwork had.

Danny reached his free hand out to touch, before pulling back and looking up at Clockwork beneath his hood. “D-do all ghosts have tails instead of legs?”

Clockwork laughed quietly again, shaking his head. “No, not all of us. But many do, or can form one. It usually means we’re faster than others.”

“Oh.” Danny nodded quietly. “Are you really fast?”

“Mh-hm,” Clockwork nodded, smiling down at Danny’s awed face. “But we should go, before any other of the more… unkind of my kind decide to appear.”

With that, Danny watched as Clockwork took the staff he had in his other hand, and waved it once in front of them- there was a soft pop, and a large swirl of blue appeared, making Danny gasp. Clockwork gently pulled him forward by his hand, leading him through the swirling portal- he remembered that’s what his parents called things like this.

A moment later, stepping through the other side, he was in a large, dark, cathedral-like room, with stone floors and arching stone walls, giant gears and cogs floating or sitting around in the open space. There was no sign of the rock they’d been on before, the any of the space outside.

“Whoah,” Danny gasped, turning in a large circle as Clockwork released his hand. “This place his huge! What is it?”

Clockwork smiled again. “This is my home, little one. My Tower.” He closed the portal behind them with another wave of his staff, making it dissipate in the air. Behind where it had been, Danny now noticed a half-circle of large mirrors set in gear-frames, floating in the air or sitting on stands, like the largest one in the middle. It was more than twice as tall as him, not even counting the stand.

Danny let out another awed ‘Whoa’ as he followed Clockwork over to the mirrors, stopping just behind him. “What are these things?”

“These are my Time Mirrors, Danny. they let me watch the timestreams.”

“The what?” Clockwork laughed again.

“Timestreams. It means all of the different ways the future could unfold, all the different things that could happen all over the world and all throughout the ghost zone. With these, I can watch it all.” Clockwork motioned to one at the side, and it showed a picture of a huge city. On another, Men in gold armor on platforms pulled by horses. And a third, a woman in a huge frilly dress spread out around her and her hair piled high, her face pale with makeup. “It’s my job to try and make sure everything happens as it should, to make sure time flows smoothly. Do you understand?”

“Uh huh..” Danny murmured, staring around at all the scenes playing out on eh mirrors. “So, you- you see everything that ever happens?”

“Or ever will happen, yes.”

“Whoa…” Danny looked around again, then back at Clockwork. “Does that mean you knew I’d fall in here?”

Clockwork nodded once. “Yes, that’s why I was there, so I could keep you from getting hurt. You should be back home, with your family, not lost in the Ghost Zone.”

Danny nodded again, looking at the picture of a big city. Watching him, Clockwork smiled and waved his staff, watching in amusement and Danny gasped and pointed at the changing picture.  
“That’s the park I was in! And- And that’s my Mommy and Daddy!” Danny rushed up to the screen, putting his hands up to it. His parents were still messing with their gadgets. Danny frowned. “Do- Do they know I’m gone?”

Clockwork shook his head. “You have not been gone for very long- when you go back, it will have only been a few minutes since you fell off the tree branch.”

“But it felt like a long time…” Danny muttered. “Wasn’t it?”

“To you, it was,” Clockwork admitted. “But I did not want your parents to worry about you when I knew you would be safe with me. So, I’ve changed the flow of time a little, so that less time will have passed for them than has passed for us. That way, they don’t have to know you’ve been here.”

Danny frowned again, looking back from the screen. “I can’t tell them?”

Clockwork got that sad look again, slowly shaking his head. “I think it would be best if you did not. I cannot force you to keep all this a secret, but I would greatly appreciate it if you at least did not tell them about me. It would greatly complicate everything.”

“Why?” Danny turned back to Clockwork, cocking his head.

“In general, I don’t like for humans to know I exist, Danny. Most ghosts never see or hear from me unless they have committed a great crime, and I am only mentioned as a threat for them who want to upset the order of things.” Clockwork sighed, watching the screen show the working scientists. “Many ghosts think I am but a legend, and any humans that do know about me think the same. I would prefer to keep it that way, if I can.”

Danny nodded slightly, looking back at his parents. “D-does that mean I’m in trouble for knowing about you?” Danny asked meekly, turning back to look up at Clockwork through his shaggy black bangs. “Are you gonna make me forget about you?”

Clockwork hesitated, a little shocked by the question. He studied Danny for a moment with a frown. “Do you want to forget about all of this?” Clockwork asked slowly, floating down to eye-level with Danny. “If you wish, I can do that-”

“No!” Danny blurted out, looking scared. “No, I don’t wanna forget you! You’re really nice and cool!” Danny paused, then blushed, looking down as he muttered, “E-even if you’re a ghost…”  
Clockwork smiled, then nodded when Danny looked back up. “Very well, you don’t have to forget. And no, you are not in trouble. But as I said before, I would like it if you would not tell anyone about this incident. Alright?”

Danny frowned, looking around the tower, at the mirrors, and back at Clockwork. “Well… I guess so…” he muttered.

“Thank you Danny.”

Danny nodded, then held a finger up. “But on one condition!”

Clockwork blinked in shock, taken off guard by the child’s determined look and forward demand. “And that would be?”

Danny hesitated, looking at his feet for a second. “I won’t tell anyone if… If I get to come back and visit you.”

There was a minute of silence. It let Danny notice it wasn’t actually silent, but there was a lot of ticking all around them, even from the case in Clockwork’s chest.

“I- I’m sorry?” Clockwork finally asked, confused. “You-”

“I want to come back,” Danny finished, nodding his head at the end, but looking a little unsure of himself. “You’re really cool, and so is your house. And I wanna know more about you, and stuff. ‘Cuz Mommy said you’re mean, but you’re really nice, and I wanna know why.”

Clockwork looked at Danny for a long moment, then shook his head with a sigh. “You are indeed a unique child…” He muttered. Looking back at Danny, he told him, “Not all ghosts are bad- I’m not the only nice ghost, Danny.”

“You aren’t?”

“No. I’m not saying all ghosts are good- far from it, many of them are indeed as your parents have told you. Like Spectra and Bertrand, the two you met earlier.” Danny frowned, looking scared and crossing his arms. “They are not good at all. But the same goes for humans.”

Danny relaxed, but frowned again. “What do you mean? People aren’t evil.”

“Most people are not. But what about those kids at school who bully you and your friend? They’re not nice, are they?”

“Well… I guess not.”

Clockwork nodded. “And you’ve been taught some history from your sister, right? Haven’t there been a lot of bad people in history, who start wars or steal from other people for no reason?”

“Yeah… they’re not nice either.”

“The same goes for ghosts.” Clockwork explained. “Many ghosts are not mean, or evil- we simply don’t want to hurt people, and don’t take part in others’ actions- we can’t stop them all from being mean though. And those ghosts are the ones that make themselves the most well-known- it makes humans think we’re all evil, when really it’s just all the good ghosts try not to get noticed by others.”

“Like that one girl in my class who is really smart, but she doesn’t tell anybody?”

Clockwork smiled and nodded. “Exactly. If we were to judge a whole group based on the ones who were the loudest, ghosts would all be heartless and cruel, and humans would be greedy and self-centered. But not all of them are, understand?” Danny nodded a few times, humming in consent as Clockwork smiled and took his hand.

“On that note, I believe it is time to get you home, little one.”

“Aw!” Danny whined as he was pulled towards the largest mirror. “I wanted to know more about ghosts and stuff!”

“But don’t you want to see your parents?” Danny hesitated but nodded. “Well, you can go see them now. There will be time for questions later.”

Danny nodded sadly, following Clockwork to the largest screen, which turned into a green portal as he waved his staff.

Danny looked at the portal, then squeezed Clockwork’s hand to get his attention. “When can I come back?”

Clockwork smiled and ruffled Danny’s hair. “Soon, little one. When the time is right again, I’ll bring you back, and we can talk more, alright? But in the meantime, go home, and have fun. And remember, you cannot tell anyone about this, alright?”

Danny nodded, stepping towards the portal. “Alright. I promise not to.” Danny gave him a pointed look, as if waiting for him to say it back- which was fair.

“And I promise to let you come back soon.” Danny smiled hugely, black hair framing his pale face against the green light behind him. “Goodbye Danny.”

“Bye Clockwork!”

With that, Danny turned to the portal, sticking his hand in the cold light, before following through. As he left, he swore he heard Clockwork say something to himself, before the noise was replaced by his parents’ voices and people in the park.

It sounded like he said, “This is much too soon…”


End file.
